50,000 Turks Protest Israeli Invasion

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Tens of thousand of Turkish people poured into streets of Istanbul on Sunday to protest the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip and the killing of innocent Palestinians by the Israeli army.

Approximately 50.000 people gathered at the Abide-I Hurriyet square in the Sisli district. Police took extensive security measures by searching the demonstrators before they entered the square.

The protestors chanted slogans against Israel and the US, condemning the killing of innocent people and the inaction of the international community to protect innocent citizens. "Butchers of Pharaohs: Israel and USA", "Wake-up Muslims", and "Farewell to Sharon, Devotion to Hamas" were the main slogans chanted at the demonstration.

The spokesman at the protest, which was organized by the pro-Islamic Happiness Party, said that world nations had turned a blind eye to the tragedy in the region as the Israeli army killed innocent people."

http://www.zaman.com/?bl=hotnews&alt=&trh=20060709&hn=34650

[still_one]

1. Ask Turkey how they feel about Kurdish independence?

ask the Russians how they feel about Chechnya independence

Perhaps it would be far more constructive for the world leaders to push the parties to the negotiating table

[Violet_Crumble]

2. That'd be a big no-no!

Along with asking Turkey to recognise that it committed a genocide on the Armenians...

I agree with yr point about how world leaders should be pushing the parties to the negotiating table, but the populations are always going to protest what they see as wrongs happening. Even though this protest was organised by what they call a 'pro-Islamic' party, knowing the lengths Turkey goes to in order to keep its government secular, I'm wondering if this party is even in the government, or maybe if it's one of those ones that get banned and then recreates itself to give the political arena another shot...

[still_one]

3. problem is fundamentalists are gaining more influence in Turkey

including their parliment

If people don't try and get a handle on the situation, and I don't mean by invading more countries, we may have a whole region out of control